The Challenge
by TimTamie
Summary: Jace finds out that Clary is being bullied at school so he enrols himself to get revenge, as does Alec, to keep him from making a scene, Isabelle, just for the heck of it, and Magnus to be with Alec. Chaos ensues.


**I don't own The Mortal Instruments series. **

Clarissa Fray, known by her friends as Clary, sighed as she waited for the bell to ring. She was sitting in ancient history, suffering through the most boring lesson on earth.

"Psst. Clary!" She looked up as Simon, her best friend, passed her a note from his seat in front of her.

_Wanna come to band practice with me after school?_

Clary quickly replied _Can't, sorry, Jace is taking me out on a double date with Alec and Magnus. _  
>She giggled under her breath at Simon's reply: <em>That will be interesting...<em>

It was true, the date would be interesting. She had never been on a double date with gay guys before, much less her boyfriend's p_arabatai_, Alec Lightwood and his outlandish warlock boyfriend, especially one as flamboyant as Magnus Bane!

While she was reading the note, she hadn't noticed her history teacher, Mr Boswell, walk up behind her.  
>"Ohhhh, a note! Would you like to share it with the class? Clary? Simon? No? Well then, allow me!" and so he began to read their conversation out loud.<p>

He entertained the class for the last 5 minutes of the period by reading out the note in strange voices and dramatically portraying it, while Clary and Simon hung their heads in shame. Finally, they were saved by the bell, or so they thought.

They rushed outside to wait for Luke and Eric respectively. Simon was going straight to band practice, while Clary was headed home to get ready for her date. Simon had just left when the "popular girls" came up to Clary, dragging their boyfriends along behind them.

"Hey" said Tiffany, the leader of the gang. "So, my boyfriend Joel is, like, in your class, and he, like, told me about the note. You are SOOO pathetic. It's, like, totally obvious that you, like, planned the whole, like, thing."

"What are you talking about?" replied Clary, completely confused.

"Like, the note? You, like, made it up so you would get caught, and seem, like, cool because you had a "boyfriend" who was taking you on a "double date"? That was kind of, like, clever, and totally flattering. It's so obvious you just did it so you could ditch that loser Simon and hang out with us instead. So, like, good try and all, but, uh, never gonna happen! You couldn't get a guy if you tried! Isn't that right, honey?" Joel nodded, and with that she stalked off, followed by her cronies, leaving Clary fuming.

Luke pulled up and she flung herself into the van, desperate to get out of the hell hole she called school.

"What's wrong Clary?" Luke asked worriedly.

"Why would anything be wrong?" she replied nonchalantly.

"The last time you slammed the door with that much power was after your fight with Jace when he scared away every guy who tried to talk to you at that party."

"Yeah well, I was lonely! It's not like he was being much company, what with all the glaring!"

"So what's up?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just some girls at school. The teacher read out a note Simon and I were passing and they didn't believe I could have a boyfriend."

"So get Jace to pick you up from school sometime to shut them up."

"You may be on to something there. I'll ask him tonight." Clary smiled at the thought of seeing Jace. They had both been so busy lately, she hadn't seen him for a week! "Don't tell Mum, please. I'd rather not worry her." Luke agreed as the car pulled up in front of their house.

When Clary got home, she had a long hot shower and washed her hair before blow drying it. She wasn't normally this fussed with her appearance, but she was too angry to do any homework, and Jace had told her to dress up for the night. Who knew where they would end up! She threw on a dressing gown as she sat down to paint her nails, and was just deciding what to wear when her door was thrown open.

"Clary! How good to see you! Oh dear, you're not thinking of wearing that are you?" Isabelle Lightwood, Jace's adoptive sister, quickly asserted her presence in Clary's room and made her discard the grey dress that she had been thinking of wearing.  
>"Isabelle! Is something wrong? Did something happen to Jace?"<br>"Of course not, Clary, do you really think I would be this chirpy is something had happened?" Clary chose not to reply. She had indeed seen Isabelle be chirpy in some very strange situations, so if something _was_ wrong, this wouldn't have been the first time.

"So why are you here?"  
>"Jace sent me, of course!" said Isabelle in her overbright tone. "I have to make sure you wear the right thing for this date tonight. There is a very strict dress code where Jace is taking you!"<br>"Which is?" said Clary, hoping Jace would have forgotten to tell Isabelle to keep quiet about it. He was being very secretive.  
>"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you!" Isabelle went into havoc mode and raced around Clary's room, choosing clothes and shoes. "Here, go put these on."<p>

Clary was wearing a dress with short puffy sleeves that cinched in at her waist and went down to her mid-thigh. It was made of green velvet, and Clary was sure she had never seen it before.  
>"Isabelle," she inquired, "where did you get this dress?"<br>"Magnus magicked it up for you."

"Then why did you need to search my closet?" Clary asked.

"I wanted to see what you had, which really isn't much by the way, I insist on taking you shopping some other time. Now put these shoes on while I do your makeup." She handed Clary a pair of strappy sandals and they chatted as she worked. Clary and Isabelle were fast becoming good friends, now that they had so much in common and had gotten over their jealousy issues. They hung out all the time, even when Jace wasn't around, and as Isabelle was dating Simon, she saw Isabelle even more.

Isabelle finally finished doing Clary's make up as the door bell rang. Isabelle ran to answer it.  
>"Presenting Clarissa Fray!" Clary entered the room slowly, watching for Jace's reaction. As he saw her, his jaw dropped and his eyes darkened. She smiled shyly, glad that he had the same reaction to her as she had to him. He was in his typical black pants, white shirt combination, and he was still the hottest man she had ever seen. She almost wanted to abandon the date and just make out with him instead, but she was too excited about where he was taking her.<p>

"Wow Clary, darling, you look amazing!" said her mother Jocelyn, startling her. She had been so intent on Jace she hadn't realised that her parents had come into the room.  
>"Have fun on your date, kids. Jace, have her home by midnight."<br>"Yes ma'am," replied Jace, holding out his arm towards her. "Isabelle, we're swinging by the institute to pick up Alec, if you want a lift." She rushed out after the dashing pair, not wanting to be left behind.

"So where are we going?" asked Clary curiously. "And where are Alec and Magnus? How are we getting to the institute since you can't drive? I'd really rather not take the L-train."  
>"You are talkative tonight, aren't you," remarked Jace. "I think you've had too much Isabelle. We're taking a flying motorbike to the institute, where Magnus will pick us up. Apparently he can drive."<p>

"How will Isabelle..." Clary was silenced as she saw the motorbike. There was a little pink side car next to it, which was assumedly Isabelle's seat. Clary wondered if Isabelle would enjoy the ride. The side car looked rather... small.

"Yay! My sidecar!" Isabelle shrieked as she ran to put her pink helmet on. Clary grinned at Jace as she got on behind him, happy to feel him and smell him again. They took off, flying through the night, Isabelle whooping beside them.

After an exhilarating ride, Jace smoothly landed the motorbike on the roof of the Institute. Clary and Jace dismounted the motorbike while Isabelle hopped out of her sidecar, and the three of them walked down towards Alec's room.

"Soup!" cried Isabelle. Clary and Jace looked at her in confusion while she ran off, calling over her shoulder "I left the soup on the stove!" They laughed after her, thankful that they would not have to eat Isabelle's dreadful cooking.

"So where are you taking me?" Clary asked hopefully.

"It's a surprise." Clary realised that asking again would be futile, so she changed the subject.

"Hey Jace, would you be able to pick me up after school someday next week?"  
>"Of course sweetie. Why?"<p>

"The popular girls were being bitches. They didn't believe I had a boyfriend and were saying I was making it all up because I wanted to be popular."

"They said that? Well, that's not on! You're my girlfriend, and you are the most beautiful girl I know. Why can't they see that?"

Clary shrugged. "I don't mind that much, I just want to rub you in their faces, because you're smarter and handsomer and sexier than any of their boyfriends!" They had reached Alec's room and Jace pulled Clary to him and kissed her passionately while he knocked. They received no reply from Alec, so Jace pushed open the door, only to see Alec making out with Magnus on his bed.

"Ewww! Guys, put some clothes on!" squealed Clary, hiding her eyes in Jace's side.

Alec jumped up, embarrassed, and pulled on his pants and a shirt, while Magnus clicked and was magically dressed.

"Oh, no need to get embarrassed, dear virginal Clary. I'm sure you'll see all of Jace one day." Clary shook her head in amusement. There was simply no fixing Magnus! That was why he was one of her best friends.

"So are we going? I can't wait to see where you're taking us, Jace," said Alec, trying to change the subject. _Poor thing_, Clary thought, _it can't be easy for a private person to be in love with Magnus_.

"Yes," she chimed in, "and I can't wait to see how we're getting there."

"Well actually, there's been a change of plans," said Jace mysteriously. "We were going to go to the Castle, but some girls at Clary's school were being mean to her, so Magnus, if you wouldn't mind finding out where they are tonight, then we'll go there and "accidentally" run into them."

Magnus worked his magic in a jiffy. "Our destination is a club called Pandemonium. Ever heard of it?" Jace and Clary shared a secret smile.  
>"Yes. That's where we first met." They looked deep into each other's eyes and were about to kiss when Isabelle appeared.<br>"Did you mention Pandemonium? I love that place! In fact, I'll call Simon and we'll meet you there in an hour." Everyone pretended to groan, but they were secretly happy. The whole gang would be together again! Everyone in the club would know their names by the end of the night.


End file.
